a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to articles of accessories in general, and more particularly to an arm cover with an integral banner, the cover including a banner with alphanumeric characters and/or images, colors, representing a flag, pennant, slogan, logo, etc., which associates to the forearm and/or wrist and/or hand and/or base of the finger(s) of a wearer.
b. Description of Prior Art
The present invention is concerned with an expressive arm cover with an attached displayable national or team flag, banner or pennant. The novelty sport or event accessory is designed for use by a spectator or participant of a sporting, social, political and other event in which the cheering, belonging to a group, rallying for a cause, celebrating of an event, expressing citizenship of a country, and other is signaled by releasing and waving of the flag and/or banner and/or pennant attached to the back or side section of the arm cover.
Sports enthusiasts and participants of different events have long sought novel and eye-catching ways of expressing loyalty to their team, country, social or political groups by bearing banners, pennants, wearing T-shirts and carrying hand held flags of various sizes attached to a plastic, metal or wooden stick like handle. The advent of formal licensing programs by sport teams at all levels of competition, both amateur and professional, along with the increased following of team sports by the general population and participating at different international events have resulted in a proliferation of flag, banner and pennant bearing products associated with sport teams, international sporting events like Olympics, political and other events. Organizations, including various profit and non-profit organizations use various types of novelty items bearing their name, logo, or a message for promotional purposes. These items can be sold or given away to fans and spectators at sporting events, at various events, such as parades, etc.
Hand held products that are sports or national team or other event oriented, most notably conventional team banners, pennants, flags or national flags, usually display the color or colors of the team, or national flag along with the coat of arms or logo and/or team name, slogan or other messages. They are popular items which are carried, cheered with and/or displayed by both spectators and participants of any event around the globe.
Participants of such events enthusiastically select and carry their hand held flag, banner or pennant holding it interchangeably in their left or right hand and therefore at all time occupying one hand. It is not uncommon to see a spectator/participant to put the flag under his/her underarm or hold it with his/her teeth in order to free his/her hand and be able to applaud the liking of a team action, event or to attend to a needy child, youngster or spectator. Loosing or misplacing of flags, banners or pennants is a normal occurrence at any public event and by such happening there is more contribution to environmental pollution as well. Further, holding of a flag handle, banner or pennant limits the participant's ability to hold a child's hand, beverage, purse, ticket or use his/her hand in case of securing his/her safety i.e. holding on to railing. The handle, which usually is a wooden, plastic or metal calls for exercising caution on the part of user not to touch, poke or hurt the person standing next to, in front of or behind him/her. It is not uncommon that in case of enthusiastic following and participating in cheering of the game or event the adult participant can accidentally poke himself/herself with the handle attached to the flag, banner or pennant.
However, most dangerous waving or carrying of flags, banners or pennants attached to a wooden, plastic or metal handle/stick occurs when children or young adults make use of such hand held device. There were and are thousands of medical emergencies because of unsafe use, carrying, waving of the hand held pennant displayed on a stick handle resulting in injuries some of them rather serious.
A number of handheld flags, banners or pennant devices still are and have been provided in the past for various purposes. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,197 entitled Retractable flag hand held unit, describes a hand held unit which retracts and extends a flag into a hand held housing.
The Korean patent application number: KR20020012038 entitled Frame flag describes a flag with an inserted steel wire which is embedded to form a frame on one plane, enables to use the flag for cheering at an event and to be held by one or two hands.
The Japanese patent number JP3059592 is entitled Hand Flag for Signal. The objective of this hand held flag invention is to distinctly discriminate red or yellow by the silicone compound paint film positioned on the outside surface of the flag body under illumination.
The German Patent number DE202006001365U Hand-held flag consists of a length of textile with a hand-loop formed of e.g. a rubber band or a hook and loop fastening strap; The invented hand held flag and especially “rubber band or hook” attached to the wearer's hand is undesirable because it occupies the wearer's hand and especially his/her fingers. Further, the flag with the rubber band or a hook and loop fastening strap attached around the knuckles and/or fingers of the user renders the hand(s) of the user temporarily incapacitated. The use of the Hand-held flag with rubber band or a hook and loop fastening strap may be uncomfortable due to the strength of the rubber band or hook i.e. effecting the blood circulation of the user's hand and fingers. Moreover, if the rubber band or hook is to loose the flag may slip off the wearer's hand.
Dutch patent application number NL1008190C entitled Advertisement Pennant Fixed to Arm of a Sportsman, discloses plastic film or flexible fabric with a legend which is printed or woven onto the free flag part. The sleeve fits over the wearer's normal clothes and is secured with drawstrings, elastic or burr fastening strips.
PCT publication WO2006126878(A1) entitled Portable Optical Signalling Device, relates to an electronic portable device particularly to an item of clothing, a flag or torch containing a signaling component that can be switched between an initial state or a second state determined by the sensors.
With respect to forms of expression utilized by fans at sporting and social events, concerts and the like, fans and spectators often adorn themselves in a variety of ways. Conventional adornments include clothing Items such as t-shirts and jackets which contain the name or flag, banner or pennant of their selected team, national team, event or the like. At any rate, all of these forms of expression are designed to signify the wearer's support for their chosen team, country, band, player, event or the like.
While conventional sports team, national team and various event oriented hand-held flag, banner and pennant has tremendous market appeal, there is a need for a fresh and novel approach to flag, banner and pennant display demonstrating sports team, national team or community event loyalty. There is an unmet need for a novel safe to use flag, banner and pennant display for participants of any sporting or social event. There is an unmet need for easy to use and wear Arm cover with integral banner, flag or pennant on a wearer's hand, wrist and forearm in order to respond to safety, comfort and the ever growing all popular market demand.